Four people were killed in a shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, including the suspect, in what authorities are calling a racially motivated crime.
An unidentified man entered a Dollar General just after 1 p.m. on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida, and opened fire, according to witnesses. Sheriff T.K. Waters of Jacksonville said the shooter had a handgun and an AR-style rifle, and he was also donning a tactical vest.
A SWAT unit was reportedly sighted in the vicinity of a Dollar General assisting with a potential standoff involving an armed suspect who was locked inside the establishment.
Two men and one woman were killed, according to Waters, who also noted that they were all Black.
He claimed that the suspect killed himself after killing the three victims.
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Suspect Leaves Manifestos Detailing Hatred for Black People
According to Waters, the gunman wrote many manifestos, including ones addressed to his parents, the media, and federal investigators. She added that some of them revealed the suspect’s repulsive brand of hatred.
Sheriff said that the perpetrator texted his father at 1:18 p.m. to check his computer. At 1:53 p.m., his father called the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, but the Jacksonville shooting had already started at that point.
The unidentified suspect was thought to have lived in Clay County, Florida, and was involved in a domestic call in 2016 that resulted in no arrests.
According to a state government website, the Baker act in Florida grants people access to emergency services and up to 72 hours of temporary detention for mental health evaluation. This is done in accordance with Florida Statute Chapter 394.
Swastikas were discovered on the firearms used in the shooting, according to Waters.
White House informed that President Biden has received a briefing on the shooting.
During the news conference, FBI Jacksonville Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks stated that her agents are assisting local law enforcement and are involved in the investigation.
Onks stated that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime and that the Department of Justice has launched a federal civil rights inquiry.
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Source: Fox News, Daily Mail
